‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Sinks Its Fangs Into an Overlooked Chapter of ‘Dracula’ | Review

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike by a member of SAG-AFTRA. This film would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike for fair wages and working conditions. No money was exchanged for this review.

In André Øvredal’s latest horror feature, a singular chapter of Bram Stoker’s 19th-century epistolary novel Dracula is brought to life in an attempt to unravel what happened aboard the vessel that brought Dracula to the shores of England. As with all epistolary novels, Stoker’s novel contained a series of different letters, news clippings, and other forms of correspondence that helped to shape the story in a more true-to-life style. The Last Voyage of the Demeter specifically pulls from Chapter 7, which contained a news report about a mysterious shipwreck in Whitby and the ominous Captain’s Log detailing what befell the crew of the Demeter. 

The Last Voyage of the Demeter harkens back to an era of vampiric storytelling that has been overlooked in recent years. While it’s not as camp as Van Helsing was, it very much falls into the same category. This category contains a handful of other mid-aughts films that fully embraced the dramatics and terror of vampire lore in an era I lovingly refer to as BTS (Before Twilight Sparkle). In the same vein, the film also embraces the aesthetics of the iconic Hammer Horror creature features by treading a careful line. Despite being marketed as a horror film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter’s script (penned by Bragi Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz) and styling more closely align with that of a thriller, especially as it relies heavily on suspense-filled jumpscares. The horror is about what you expect when confronting Dracula, complete with ripped-open necks and human combustion. This misstep in marketing may cost it an audience that would have otherwise embraced the film for what it actually is—an adaptation of the oft-forgotten captain’s log detailed in Dracula. 

Image via Universal

Schut and Olkewicz do editorialize the Captain’s Log quite a bit, in an effort to make the events more scintillating and to make the audience care about the crew aboard the ill-fated Demeter. Stoker cared very little about fleshing out the log, beyond relaying to his readers that something untoward occurred during the voyage to England. The crew that The Last Voyage of the Demeter enlists feels very much aligned with Stoker’s world and plays upon the well-tread tropes of the horror genre. The film is flawlessly led by Corey Hawkins, who is the odd man out among the crew of the Demeter. Mr. Clemens (Hawkins) comes aboard the ship in Romania, in hopes of finding a passage back to England. While he may not seem like the sort of man who has experience aboard a cargo ship, Clemens brings irreplaceable aid to them as a physician, once Dracula’s presence begins wreaking havoc aboard the Demeter. 

The aforementioned Captain’s Log is penned by Captain Elliot (Liam Cunningham) who is keen to see the end of the voyage, as it will be his last aboard the Demeter. After years of captaining, he is eager to enjoy a quiet life with his young, orphaned grandson Toby (Woody Norman) who has joined him for his final voyage. Captain Elliot’s plan is to hand the Demeter over to his first mate Wojchek (​​David Dastmalchian), who often acts as the voice of reason throughout the film—even when that reason isn’t always sound. Dastmalchian is rather underutilized in The Last Voyage of the Demeter, despite appearing in approximately 80% of the scenes. He spends most of the film leering, looming, and otherwise loitering in the background of scenes. Though, it’s certainly not the first film to underutilize his talents.  

The crew of the Demeter is rounded out by the overly religious cook Joseph (Jon Jon Briones), the interchangeable Olgaren (Stefan Kapičić), Petrofsky (Nikolai Nikolaeff), and Abrams (Chris Walley), and the unwitting stowaway Anna (Aisling Franciosi). Of course, Anna isn’t the only stowaway aboard the Demeter, however, she is considerably less dangerous than Dracula (Javier Botet). As with most horror films, you can see pretty early on who isn’t going to survive. Anyone with motivations is primed for the slaughter, though with The Last Voyage of the Demeter, everyone is pretty much marked for death. Even in the predictability of each character’s death, the film makes strides to keep each death fresh, inventive, and equally terrifying.  

Image via Universal

Some of the most iconic horror films take place in a singular enclosed location—be it a mall during a zombie outbreak or a hotel with a homicidal maniac, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter makes excellent use of its own isolated setting. While being trapped at sea with a very hungry vampire poses a unique challenge, so too does the unpredictability of the ocean. When the crew isn’t trying to unravel the mysterious deaths aboard the Demeter, they’re also struggling to keep the short-staffed vessel on course for England, while the ocean rebels and storms rage around them. On top of the impending doom that comes from nature teaming up with the supernatural to torment the crew, the setting also creates a rather compelling sense of entrapment and claustrophobia. Øvredal utilizes every inch of the ship, from the narrow corridors and the treacherous cargo hold to the towering crow’s nest and the dark cabins. The ship becomes a character of its own, which may seem trite, but also accurate. Even after the ship is dashed upon the shores in Whitby, its ghost still knocks at the door of its lone survivor. 

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a deliciously terrifying vampire tale, which is fully immersed in the tumultuous terror of suspense. Hawkins is the film’s most vital asset and the reason it soars beyond its hampered potential. In fact, Hawkins will be the sole reason why audiences will hunger for a second outing into the world the film so carefully crafts—one that feels ripe for a vampire-hunting romp sequel. 

FINAL VERDICT: B+

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is in theaters on August 11th. Watch the trailer below and decide if you want to take a bite of this horror: